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Outer Banks cast in Season 4 Episode 10
Outer Banks cast in Season 4 Episode 10
Photo By Netflix
Culture > Entertainment

Here’s What That Shocking Death In ‘Outer Banks’ Season 4 Could Mean For Season 5

The stakes have never been higher than in this season of Outer Banks. With a new treasure hunt and an ancient curse to break, the Pogues definitely had their work cut out for them in Season 4, Part 2. But Outer Banks is known for its twists and turns, and it’s no shock that the Season 4 finale broke our hearts with a character death we’re still mourning over. With a fan-favorite character gone, one thing has never been more true this season: anything can happen in Poguelandia 2.0.

Since our beloved Pogues are coming back for a fifth and final season, we can’t help but wonder what that character’s death will mean for Season 5. Even if we have an idea of what Season 5 could be, there’s a high possibility we may see the Pogues regroup while also mourning the loss of their friend. Spoiler warning: Spoilers for Outer Banks Season 4 follow. 

Was JJ’s death teased all along?

Throughout Outer Banks Season 4, JJ’s reckless behavior got the Pogues into… a lot of trouble. After he spent all of their money from El Dorado on buying his father’s estate, JJ caught the attention of Wes Genrette, a wealthy businessman who believed that his family was cursed by Blackbeard’s wife, Elizabeth. Genrette believed that the curse needed to be broken, causing JJ to impulsively force the Pogues to agree to a treasure hunt to find The Blue Crown. It’s later revealed that JJ is, by proxy, a member of the Genrette family, and his birth father is Chandler Groff. JJ is determined to find the treasure, as the group embarks on their biggest adventure yet: Morocco.

JJ’s storyline is at the forefront throughout Season 4, where we start learning more about his past and how it’s affecting him on the journey to find The Blue Crown. His love for Kiara also is what drives him to go through with the treasure hunt recklessly, and ultimately, brings him face-to-face with his father. 

Wait, so how did JJ actually die? 

In the Season 4 finale, the Pogues end up finding out that The Blue Crown may potentially be in the Moroccan coastline hidden away. As Sarah and John B. are cornered and about to be killed, JJ attacks the militiamen and continues on the journey to find The Blue Crown. It’s at the end of the season that he risks it all to save Kiara from being killed by Groff, who holds herat knifepoint. JJ gives up The Blue Crown to save Kiara, only to be stabbed by his birth father. The season ends with JJ being buried in Morocco, surrounded by the people who loved him the most: the Pogues. 

What does JJ’s death mean for Season 5?

With JJ no longer alive, where could Outer Banks go with Season 5? We’re not entirely sure about the plot for the fifth and final season yet, but we imagine that JJ’s death will play a large part in how the story wraps up. It’s clear that each Pogue is taking JJ’s death hard, especially Kiara after JJ sacrificed himself to save her life. As a result of this, there’s a possibility that Kiara might take the forefront next season to potentially get justice for JJ’s untimely death. 

When asked about JJ’s death and how it will affect Kiara in Season 5, showrunners Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke said, “Kiara is going to be the spine [of] the season the way JJ was of this season. But it’s the last season, so hopefully we’ll be able to bring everybody to a conclusion and to get in everything we want.”

With JJ’s death now being a driving force for all the Pogues to get back their treasure, I imagine that Season 5 will answer a lot of questions and most importantly, show the Pogues getting justice for their best friend. I also imagine that fans probably won’t be getting Season 5 until 2026, giving us some time to mourn JJ’s death before we head back to Poguelandia.

It may take a while for the final installment of Outer Banks to come out, but I’m already sat and mentally preparing to see the Pogues get revenge for JJ and what the next great treasure hunt will be. 

Leia Mendoza

TX State '24

Leia Mendoza is a national entertainment & culture correspondent and writer at Her Campus, where she writes and talks about the latest entertainment news and pop culture updates. As well as updating timely news, she covers a broad aspect of film, television and music for Her Campus Media. She is also a contributor to Offscreen Central, where she covers award shows and future Oscar contenders. In 2024, she created Director Brat, a website centered around film and television reviews and exclusive industry interviews for the next generation of creatives. In addition, she is a Film Production and Fashion Merchandising student at Texas State University. In the past, she has covered events conducted by Texas State University, Austin Film Festival's On Story, & SXSW. She has conducted interviews for Paramount, MGM, and A24. You can find her in her spare time talking about bridging the worlds of film and fashion together, cinema preservation, indie darlings, and fabulous shopping sequences.